City and County of San Francisco London N.
Breed, Mayor
Department of Building Inspection Patrick O' Riordan, C.B.O., Director
NOTICE TO APPLICANT FOR BUILDING PERMIT SIGN
POSTING REQUIRED
Effective January 15, 1987, Ordinance No. 417-86 requires that a sign be posted in the lobby of
an R-1 occupancy containing five or more units or a residential hotel containing six or more living
units if alteration work is to be done that would displace tenants from their residence. The
ordinance does not define the scope of work that would displace tenants; however, it does allow
the Director of the Department of Building Inspection to define the terms “substantially alter”.
If such work is to be done, a 15” x 15” sign must be posted for 15 days and shall contain the
following information: The notice that the permit application has been made, the nature of the
work to be performed, the means of obtaining information from the Department of Building
Inspection, and the procedure for appealing the issuance of building permits. The sign must be
provided by the owner of the building. Building permit applications indicating the scope of work
as listed below, meet the “substantially altered” criteria and require the posting of the sign as
required by Section 106.3.2.4 of the San Francisco Building Code if a tenant will actually be
displaced by such work.
EXAMPLES:
1. REMOVAL OF ILLEGAL UNIT:
a. Unit cannot be legalized because of state or local codes.
b. Because owner chooses not to legalize the unit.
2. ADEQUATE EXITS ARE LACKING: Required to provide, repair or replace on exit and
the work cannot be completed in one day.
3. ELECTRICAL HAZARDS: Exposed or bare wiring, knife switches, open fuse blocks
(lacking shock protection), where these conditions exist less than seven feet above a
walkway or floor.
4. STRUCTURAL HAZARDS: Including:
a. Landslide instability;
b. Loss of foundation;
c. Fire damage causing imminent structural failure where the whole building or one
unit is in danger of collapse or failure.
5. GAS APPLIANCES: Gas appliances (beyond control of the tenant) creating potentially
hazardous conditions including:
a. Faulty venting, creating potential carbon monoxide asphyxiation.
b. Natural gas leaks in appliances, piping or meters.
49 South Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, California 94103
Information (628) 652-3240 - FAX (628) 652-3249
www.sfdbi.org
6. SANITATION HAZARDS OR INSUFFICIENT FACILITIES: Including total lack of facilities
including piping and fixtures.
7. LACK OF HEAT:
a. Lack of heat or heating facilities.
b. Inoperative heating facilities such as:
1. Missing portable heater or dedicated circuit defective or lacking
2. Missing radiator
8. MISCELLANEOUS CONDITIONS: Conditions not defined above but that substantially
and materially render a unit of the building uninhabitable including:
a. Severe roof leaks
b. Loss of utilities as a result of fire:
1. By disconnection of the building utilities
2. By damage to the unit itself
c. Gross contamination of the unit by chemicals, sewage or other substances.
9. DEMOLITION: This include demolition of a unit(s) or demolition of the building.
10. VOLUNTARY WORK: Including rehabilitation, alteration, remodeling work by the owner
which will necessitated the displacement of any residential tenants.
I hereby certify that I have read the above notice. The work to be performed under the building
permit for which I am applying will comply with Ordinance No. 417-86:
I will post a sign for 15 days and then return a signed posting affidavit to the “ CENTRAL
PERMIT BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING INSPECTION, 49 SOUTH VAN
NESS AVENUE, SECOND FLOOR, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94103” prior to
the approval of my permit application.
I will not post a sign because it is not required. (Note: If the scope of work to be done
changes and becomes subject to the ordinance, a new permit application must be filed
and the posting requirements must be met. If this box is determined to have been
incorrectly checked, your permit will be revoked).
Job Address: __________________________ Permit Application No: __________________
Print Name and Signature: _____________________________________________________
(Owner, Architect, Engineer, Authorized Agent)
Please circle applicable title above
Date: ____________________
Revised 01/25/2022
